CATS Workshops in August

On Tuesday, August 9, join Taylor Haskins from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. on the Hidden Quarry Trail in Westport for the last in the series of the “In Place” workshops. For this workshop, “Listening in Place,” Taylor will lead you along the trail where you will explore the reflections, refractions, and resonance of sound waves in a natural environment. Using Native American wooden flutes and other instruments, he will demonstrate the behavior of sound in the open air along different sections of trail. You will explore exercises in deep listening to cultivate a heightened awareness of the world of sound and the sound of the world around you.

Other August workshops include:

Making the Most of GPS Apps, on Saturday, August 13 at the Wadhams Library and the Wadhams Overlook Trail. This workshop, geared for beginners, on using mobile GPS apps is led by Shelby Perry of Northeast Wilderness Trust.
Managing your Forest Sustainably, on Saturday, August 20, features presenters, Shirley Forest President Frank Shirley and Vice President Tim Castner, Gary Goff of Cornell Extension and others. The workshop includes lunch followed by a guided “woods walk” on Shirley Forest property. The workshop begins at 10:30 a.m. with sign-in and coffee, followed by presentations and lunch (provided). Then you’ll go on the guided “woods walk” until about 3:00. There is no charge for the workshop but pre-registration is required so we can plan accordingly.

Click here for more information and to sign up for any of these hikes and/or workshops.

NOTE: Our Outreach Committee is currently working on setting up the schedule of events for this fall and winter. If you have suggestions for a hike or workshop, please email us at info@champlainareatrails.com.

(Mountain Biking) Trail of the Week

The Blueberry Hill Trails in Elizabethtown consist of a network of more than 30 all-purpose trails covering a few hundred acres and provide excellent mountain biking for all levels of mountain bikers. Trails can be accessed from two trailheads, one located on Lord Road and one on Bronson Way in Lewis. Click here to download a map and descriptions of the trails.

Or try a 16-mile (Mountain Biking) Trail – Did you know there was a great mountain bike trail just south of Westport? Take Stevenson Road from the center of Westport and follow it south for just over a mile to Mountain Spring Road on your right. Park here and pedal uphill past McMahon Road to the seasonal road that will take you through the “West Champlain Hills” and then down to Bartlett Pond Road. Take a left on Bartlett Pond Road which becomes McConley Road (it’s ok to pass through gates you encounter) and enjoy the more downhill ride back to Stevenson Road. Turn left onto Stevenson Road and head north back to where you began.

Thank you.

Chris Maron
CATS Executive Director

Local Examples of Conservation Easements (www.essexonlakechamplain.com)
What’s in a Conservation Easement? (www.essexonlakechamplain.com)
Connecting People to Nature (www.essexonlakechamplain.com)

About Champlain Area Trails (CATS)

Champlain Area Trails (CATS) is a non-profit organization, begun in 2009, which creates and maintains hiking and cross-country ski trails in the Champlain Valley that link communities, connect people with nature, and promote economic vitality. In its short history, CATS has developed 35 miles of trails that when added to existing trails, gets it half-way toward the long-envisioned goal of a 30-mile trail loop between Westport and Essex. CATS will extend its trails to neighboring towns and eventually connect them to trails in the Adirondack Mountains, Vermont, and Quebec. Learn more on the CATS website.